ZOTAC GTX650 Ti AMP! Review

Budget and gaming are two words that don't often go well together. When pricing up a new PC, the graphics card is often the most expensive component which is why so many manufacturers are looking for on-board video solutions. All too often though we see that on-board solutions simply do not have the grunt available to power the latest games to any playable level at today's most popular resolution - 1920x1080. It's also safe to assume that not everybody has the space or for that matter even wants a PC the size of a small refrigerator. Small form factor PC's popularity is rising exponentially and with that manufacturers are having to downsize their components without compromising on performance.

In the latest round of graphics card releases, the AMD HD77XX series produced ground breaking performance while still keeping a small footprint. Sure, the cards won't be breaking any 3DMark records any time soon but they offered DirectX 11 gaming at a competitive price. The introduction of Kepler by NVIDIA has given AMD numerous headaches, forcing AMD to drastically reduce the price of the 7 series range to compete. Today, we see what could be the final nail in the 7 series' coffin, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX650 Titanium or 'Ti' as it's more commonly known.

NVIDIA claim that enthusiasts change their graphics card solutions every three years and with this in mind, the GTX650 Ti is aimed at users who own the 9600 GT, which is now over four years old. Claims of a 5x performance boost are heralded by NVIDIA who also claim the GTX650 Ti out performs last year's GTX550 Ti by 1.5x, not a bad performance boost at all considering the GTX650 utilises DirectX 11 enhancements something the 9600 GT is incapable of. Today though we will be concentrating on today's most recent graphics cards available and will be comparing the GTX650Ti to these, specifically the AMD HD7770, it's direct competitor to see which is best for you, allowing you to make the most informed decision when purchasing.

About ZOTAC

Established in 2006, ZOTAC is the world’s largest and most innovative manufacturer of graphics cards, mini-ITX motherboards and mini-PCs. ZOTAC system components, and mini-PCs can be found in all continents around the globe.

Derived from the terms “zone,” for being distinct in the PC components and systems business, and “tact,” for our superior skill, experience, quality and manufacturing capabilities. Combined, “ZOTAC,” represents technological strength and experience blended with a fresh approach on the industry’s ever-changing needs.

ZOTAC entered the market with an expanded lineup of NVIDIA® GeForce® based graphics cards, which included the passive-cooled ZOTAC GeForce® ZONE Editions and class leading overclocked ZOTAC GeForce® AMP! Editions, in addition to the standard GeForce® series lineup. ZOTAC has since expanded its focus to include motherboards, mini-PCs and innovative accessories worldwide.

ZOTAC products are manufactured to the most rigorous quality standards that combine world-class quality control, reliability, features and performance with superior end-user and channel support.